"I cannot understand," Rutherford was saying, "how such a style of beauty, so delicate and refined you know, could ever exist in such surroundings."
"She is a mystery," added Houston, "and unless I am greatly mistaken, she has a nature as sensitive and refined as her face."
"You are right, Mr. Houston," replied Miss Gladden, "she possesses a refinement of nature that is wonderful; and not only that, she has a brilliant intellect if she could only have advantages, and notwithstanding all the difficulties and obstacles with which she has had to contend, she has already acquired a fair education, is remarkably well informed and a good conversationalist."
A few moments later, Lyle was aroused from her revery by a familiar voice calling her, and coming down stairs, found Miss Gladden awaiting her.
"You runaway!" she exclaimed, "why have you been hiding when you should have been helping me entertain the new guests?"
"I didn"t think you needed any help," replied Lyle, brightly.
"You never made a worse mistake in your life," said Miss Gladden, leading the way out on the porch. "I have been trying to tell these gentlemen something about this country around here, and I have only succeeded in betraying my own ignorance."
Both gentlemen greeted Lyle pleasantly, and Houston rose and gave her his chair with a grave, gentle courtesy which was new to her, and which she was quick to observe and appreciate. For some time they chatted of the surrounding country, Lyle telling them where the finest scenery, the best hunting and fishing and the pleasantest picnic grounds were to be found.
"About a quarter of a mile from here," she said, "in Strawberry gulch is a small canyon that has been fitted up for tourists and excursionists, and every summer numerous camping parties come out from Silver City for a few days or weeks. There is a fine lake at the head of the canyon, a boat house, and a good supply of boats, tents, and almost everything needed for camp life."
"Have there been any camping parties yet?" asked Houston.
"Not yet," replied Lyle. "It is too early; they usually begin coming in July; we are likely to have snow-storms out here in the mountains yet."
"Snow-storms!" they all exclaimed; "What!" said Miss Gladden, "after such warm weather as this?"
"Oh, yes," said Lyle, "this is only the early warm weather we always have in May, but it will be much colder again before summer really begins in earnest; though the weather is never so severe here as in the gulches farther up the mountains."
"It seems to me," said Rutherford, "I"ve heard of the greatest number of "gulches" out here, and some of them have the most remarkable names; very original, certainly."
"Their names are mostly indicative of their early history," Lyle answered; "there are a number of them in this vicinity,--Last Chance gulch, Poor Man"s gulch, Lucky gulch, b.l.o.o.d.y gulch, and so on."
"Has this gulch where we are, any such euphonious t.i.tle?" inquired Miss Gladden.
"This one has two names, equally euphonious and equally historical; it is now called Spotted Horse gulch, but years since it was known as Dead Man"s gulch."
"That sounds cheerful!" commented Miss Gladden.
"Is there a ghost story connected with the gulch, Miss Maverick?"
inquired Houston.
"Yes," said Lyle, "several of them, for the miners are mostly very superst.i.tious. Years ago, when there were no well developed mines here, only a few prospects, a man who had just sold one of the properties, was murdered for his money, about half way between here and the mines, where the road is so narrow and pa.s.ses under the overhanging rocks. He rode a spotted horse, and from the indications when he was found a few days after, he must have made a desperate fight, for both he and the horse were shot several times. Ever since, it has been said that the spotted horse goes up and down the gulch at night, sometimes alone, and sometimes with his rider, and so the gulch received its name."
"Is that story still believed here?" asked Houston.
"More or less," replied Lyle. "There is just enough faith in it, that, excepting Jack," and she nodded slightly to Miss Gladden, "there is not a miner in camp who could be hired to pa.s.s through that part of the gulch at midnight, for fear of seeing the phantom horse and his rider."
"Possibly," said Miss Gladden, "it would be well for us to adjourn for the night, or we may have a glimpse of the phantoms; it must be after ten o"clock."
"After ten, impossible!" exclaimed Rutherford, springing to his feet; "I beg your pardon, ladies, for having detained you so long; I never dreamed it was so late."
"The long twilight here deceives one, I have hardly become accustomed to it myself," said Miss Gladden.
"The ladies will surely pardon us," said Houston, "since it is through their making the time pa.s.s so pleasantly that we have trespa.s.sed."
They separated for the night, and a little later, Mr. Blaisdell and Haight came up from the office, but Morgan did not return until daylight was beginning to tinge the eastern sky.
CHAPTER IX.
A number of days pa.s.sed uneventfully. Houston was occupied in getting familiarized with the work at the office, having first created an epoch in the history of that inst.i.tution by having the windows thoroughly cleaned.
One of the noted characters of the mining camp was a small boy who, when he could scarcely walk, had, on account of his fearless spirit and indomitable pluck, been dubbed with the name of "Bull-dog." The name was so appropriate, and the little fellow himself so proud of it, that as he grew older it was forgotten if he ever had any other; if he had, no one knew what it was. He was now nearly twelve years of age, as small as most boys of eight or nine, but he possessed the same spirit as of old. Bull-dog was the oldest of five children; his parents lived at the Y, a worthless, disreputable pair; he spent very little time under the parental roof, and filial respect was entirely left out of his composition, and no wonder! He was a favorite among the miners, spending much of his time in the camp, and the shrewd little fellow was very observant of what went on around him, and very keen and worldly-wise in his judgment of human nature as he found it.
He speedily made the acquaintance of Houston, and when the latter came down to the office on his second morning, he found the boy awaiting him, and an idea occurred to him.
"Say, Bull-dog, can you wash windows?" he asked.
"Bet yer life," was the laconic reply, accompanied by a grin.
"What will you charge me for washing these four?"
The small individual surveyed the windows critically, then answered:
"Six bits."
"Go ahead," said Houston, "let"s see how good a job you can do."
Two hours afterward the windows were shining, and Houston paid the little fellow an equally shining dollar, instead of the six bits, thus making of Bull-dog a friend for life, and one whose friendship afterward proved of great value.
Nearly every afternoon found Lyle at Jack"s cabin, diligently reading or studying, guarded by Rex, the faithful collie, who would let no one but Lyle enter the cabin while Jack and Mike were at their work. Two or three evenings of each week she spent there, reviewing her lessons with Jack, or listening, either to the stories which he and Mike told of other countries, or to the music of Mike"s violin, fierce and wild, or sweet and pathetic, according to the mood of the musician. The cabin, built of logs and plaster, and consisting of two rooms and a small attic, resembled miners" cabins in general, with the exception of the second and inner room. Here, the floor was nearly covered with skins of animals, while on the walls were shelves and brackets, hand-carved in delicate designs, and filled with books and choice pictures, beautiful etchings and photographs of various works of art.
A few larger pictures hung on the walls, framed in some of the same skillfully carved work. The pine table, covered with a brightly colored spread, was strewn with finely bound volumes, and scattered about the room were several comfortable folding chairs, which Jack had bought in some of his trips to Silver City. A rude fireplace had been built in one side of the room, over which were arranged artistically two or three rifles, and the heads and horns of various animals, while on the mantel was a fine collection of ores. Altogether, it was a pleasant room, and gave more evidence of good taste, education and refinement than could have been found for more than a score of miles in that region. This was Jack"s sanctum, and none but his two friends, Lyle and Mike, were ever allowed within it.
In this room, a few evenings after the arrival of the two strangers, Lyle was sitting with her friends. The weather was already much cooler, and a bright fire was burning, before which Rex was comfortably stretched, while he watched the faces of his two friends, Jack and Lyle, who, having finished their usual reading, were silent for a few moments, looking into the fire and listening to Mike as he sat in his corner, his eyes closed, his head bent lovingly over his violin, while he evoked some of the wild, plaintive airs of his native country.
Jack was the first to speak, as he asked in a low tone, "You have met the young men I spoke of the other evening?"
"Yes," replied Lyle, still gazing into the fire, "they are stopping at the house."
"How long will they remain?"
"The younger one, the one you particularly admired, is to stop for a few weeks only; the other will probably remain permanently, as he is bookkeeper for the mining company."
Jack gave an almost imperceptible start, but slight as it was, Lyle noticed it, and turning quickly, saw a peculiar expression of mingled surprise, perplexity and annoyance on his usually immobile face.
"Bookkeeper for the mining company!" he exclaimed, "are you sure you are correct?"
"I can only quote for my authority the Honorable J. O. Blaisdell," she replied archly, "you surely wouldn"t doubt his word under any circ.u.mstances, would you? You look surprised; did you consider Mr.